Eire box ahd grate



J. J, FOLTS.

Fire Box and Grate.

Patented Feb. 16. 1858.

lnrlrllllil ll I llllll Ill-ill Fay 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB J. FOLTS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FIRE BOX AND GRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,358, dated February 16, 1858.

T 0 all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAooB J. FoLTs, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire Boxes and Grates for BurningCoal or other Fuel that Becomes Packed in the Fire- Box and Ohokes the Draft; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, represents my fire-box, and grate, as applied to a coal stoveFigs. 2, and 3, being respectively vertical longitudinal, and transverse sections through the same. Fig. 4, represents a modification of the fire-box and grate, as applied to coal stoves-and Figs. 5 and 6, represent respectively a vertical and horizontal section through this modification.

In all hung or turning fire-boxes of which I have any knowledge, whether of basket, or of cylindrical form, the grate, or grates, have been attached to, and made a part of, said fire box. In. consequence of such a construction, difficulties arise which have pre vented their introduction. Among these difficulties, may be mentioned that, of requiring the grate of the fire-box to be opened before coal or fuel can be put into it. This is exceedingly annoying with a hot fire. But a greater difficulty arises from the fact that the hinges or fastenings of the grate become warped by heat, or clogged by slag, and cannot be opened at all, thus rendering the contrivance entirely useless.

My invention consists in attaching the grate bars to the furnace, and making them a fixturewhile the fire box, with its opposite sides or ends entirely open, turns, revolves, or swings, over said grate, and thus changes the fuel, as will be explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawm s.

Iwy invention is applicable to any kind of fire box wherein coal, peat, or other fuel which packs down closely is used, and I so intend applying it.

A, Figs. 1, 2, represents a cylinder with open ends and having a flange a turned on its inner perimeter at both ends of the cylinder or shell. B, are supports upon which the journals 6, b, of an elliptical shaped fire box C, rest and turnthere being a crank D, connected to one of said journals for this purpose. The top and bottom, or opposite sides of this fire box C, are entirely open, and have flanges or lips c, c, c, 0, formed at the sides of said openings, which slightly flare out, and which work in contact with the inner surface of the outer cylinder or shell A-said lips or flanges 0, moving within the flanges a, of the outer shell for the purpose of holding and scraping down any ashes or pieces of coal, or other material that might possibly get in between the fire box, and outer shell or case. 03, (l, and c, are the grate bars, which are of a curved form, so that the flanges c, c, on the fire box, shall turn in close proximity thereto. These grate bars 65, are connected to the outer shell, case or cylinder A, and are fixed thereto, so that they need not move; they may extend far enough beyond the flanges c, which margin the openings in the fire box 0, as that any ashes or other material that is carried down through the spaces E, between the shell and fire box, may drop through between said grate bars, into the ash-box F before they reach that part of the grate which is under the fire-box G. G is a hopper attached to the top of the case or shell A, through which the fuel is fed into the fire boxand should be provided with a suitable cover. When the fuel is thrown into the fire box, it drops down onto the grate bars, or onto the burning coal supported by said grate bars, and then the fire box may with its contents be turned upside down, putting the fuel that was previously on top at the bottom of the fire. Or by partially turning said fire box, so as to bring its open ends against the tight part of the case, the draft, may be regulated ac cordingly. In kindling the fire, the fire box may be filled with coal or other fuel, the kindling put on top and ignited, and then reversed so that the fire shall be in the bottom thereof. The advantage of turning the fire box is that the gases rising from the fresh coal, may pass through the burning mass on top of it, and thus be consumed. By disconnecting the grate bars from the fire box, I have all the advantages of a turning fire box, without the disadvantages of opening a hinged or fastened grate, every time fuel is fed to the fire, and which hinged portions become immovable by twisting or warping with the heat, or stuck fast with the clinker or slag that forms in the fire boX.

Figs. 4, 5, 6, represent a modification of the above described fire box-it being in every particular the same in its aotion-but open in front, like an open coal-gratethe same letters of reference in this modification are used as in the above described form. And the same general idea may be carried out in locomotive fire boxes, or furnaces in general, the leading feature being the open ends or sides of the fire-box and stationary grate bars.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, I would state that I am aware that, cylinders with grates attached to its ends, and revolving basket grates, have been used. These I do not claim, but

What I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A revolving or turning fire-box, which is open at its opposite sides or ends, when used in combination with a fixed grate substantially in the manner herein described and represented.

JACOB J. FOLTS. Witnesses:

A. B. SToUGHToN, THos. H. UPPERMAN. 

